The Washington critic., 1887-09-12
noNoRs TO eovERNoRsHEruERp.

WASHINGTON, SEPT. IL, 1887,
HONoRs TO OGOvERNoRsHEfu HERD.
The proposed public demonstration
of welcome to eX Governor Shepherd Is
being initiated In response to a general
sentiment of the people of the District
of Columbia, who desire to tender to
the Governor some Xp'csslon of their
respect and regard for his herculeau and
successful efforts IN 1871 "a in inaugu.
rating the system of public improve
meDts which resulted in redeeminJ and
regenerating the then dnnpIdated, dis
jointed and disgusting condition of tae
national seat OF Government and
causing the Washington OF to day to
become the most beautiful and at.
trac,ive city of the Republic,
The following letter is being printed
on several blank forms nnl will soon
be ready for the signatures of the pe1-
pie Of the District Nho desire to testify
their personal regard for The Governor
in appreciation of the great service he
rendered in advancing the material
prosperity of the District Of Columbia,
silencing the agitation about the re.
moval of the National Capital, aud
making every citizen of Washington
proud Of the beautiful city Of his resi-.
denCe.
l. is proposed that after the sigma.
lures are appended, all the books be
handsomely bound together and pre-
sented 10 the Governor as testimonial
from the people of the District. In due
time suitable programme will be out
lined for the proposed demonstration,
and THE Critic predicts that there
will be such popular and general at
tendance of the people of the District
to manifest their personal regard as
was never before accorded to private
citizen by any community in America.
10 En-GOreFHOr Aler. u. .SkephGrd, bleak
House, District Of Columbia!
DEAR SIR The undersigned citizens, resi-
dents and sojourners of Washington and the
District of Columbia, desire to sgnalize your
visit to your native city, after an absence of
over seven years In foreign land, by some
public demonstration of welcome whereby
We may manifest, In some degree, our sincere
respect and personal regard for one who did
so much by his untirlng energy and force OF
character, as the guiding spirit Of the Board
inaugurate and push forward the grand, com.
prehensiye plan of public improvements of
the District of Columbia.
The Improvements of the Capital City Of
the Nation We're started on such all extensive
scale and radical transformation of Its exist
ing condition that the continuation of the
system you 20 boldly inaugurntcd became an
npceSslty.
making Washington the most magnificent city
on the American Continent. productive of re-
District, source Of at,onll pride % every
citizen of the Republic who visits the Capital
OF the country, and a, theme OF interest and
world. Please indicate such time as
wi suit your convenience to meet ynur Old
fellow citizens and others and afford them an
opportunity 10 greet you in person,
The demonstration will probably
take place In the early part of October.
THE opening Of the public schools In
The city of New York induces the IYOrld
10 remark which is of general appllca
tion. 1t says
The opening of The public schools will star
the long procession of children agaln to theil
tasks. Unless human Dalure has changed es
sentially, many OF tue feet will move unwil
lipgly.
But why should this be so? Why
should the tens of thousands of liitl,
feet move reluctantly to the school
room ? The fact that children, as
rule, love play better than work is no
q sufficient answer. If the schools wer
what they should be. opening day, in
stead of being irksome and gloomy
would be almost as welcome as q holi
day. The World aptly says on thl
point
The return to the school.room would h
less distasteful II the tasks set the pupil
were more varied aud congenial. 1t Is no
strange that the young brains rebel agains
the process of crammlng With meaningless
figures and juiceless facts. If some part o
each day were devoted to teaching the chill
dren to use their hands and eyes and muscle
and judgment. instead Of keeping the memor
on perpetual glind, the change would b
not only agreeable 10 the pupils, but of grea
benefit to them and to the future soe!et
which they will help to constitute.
The CRITIC would here repeat wha
II has said before, that the school
would be of vastly greater interest ant
utility to the children IL their studie
were limited to the regular schoo
hours. AS 1t is the day Is occupied
with recitations, and the evenings il
many cases are necessarily devoted T.
brain work that is especially wearyini
and distracting TO persons of tcnde
age. Ii were better If the use Of schoo
books outside Of school hours wer
peremptorlly inhibited.
A REPORT submitted to the last meet
ing Of the Citizens Committee referre
In strong terms to the insufficient saf,
guards thrown around the youth {
both sexes against the cnticemeBts of III
pool-rooms, the saloons, the gamblin
clubs, etc. 1t Is all proper enough
itself, but is referred 10 by the RfPHji
fdn as "What is said by the Commit
tee" and the attention of the Commit
sioners is called to II as u part of III
Committees official action. AS u ma
ter of fact, the report was submitted b
Citizens Association No, g, and VIZ
referred to the Subcommittee on Cod
OF Laws for future consideration.
THREE laborers were buried ally
last Friday evening in the tunnel of til
new aqueduct at North Yonkers, N, Y
by the caving in of an immense mas
of earth. One of the men, JAIME
Waters, was pinned down by heay